Doria’s Goshawks, Megatriorchis doriae, is a raptor, the only member of the genus Megatriorchis.
Description
At up to 69cm long, it is among the biggest hawks in the broad sense. (It is not one of the “true hawks“.)
It is greyish-brown with a black-barred crown and upperparts, whitish underparts, a black streak behind the eye, dark brown irises, a blackish bill, and greenish-yellow legs. Males and females look alike.
The female is slightly larger than the male.
Distribution
Doria’s Goshawks is endemic to the lowland rainforests of New Guinea and Batanta Island off western New Guinea.
Diet / Feeding
The diet consists mainly of birds, including the Lesser Bird of Paradise, and other small animals.
Conservation
Due to ongoing habitat loss, Doria’s Goshawk is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed in Appendix II of CITES.
Etymology
In the genus name, “Mega-” is from the Greek word for “big”. “Triorchis” was Greek for a kind of hawk thought to have three testicles. The species’ name commemorates the Italian naturalist Giacomo Doria
